Movie Theater Vs. Home

[nateman]

i dont know if this thread has been done before so if it has i am sorry and i didn't mean to piss anyone off.
i was just wondering do you guys prefer watching a movie

-at home
or
-at the movie theater

personally i watch all my movies at home and rarely go the a theater anymore.
just buy the dvds!

[89981]

I prefer at home also.

[hdtv00]

home

[EdTheRipper]

I'd rather watch at home.

[dadaluholla]

Both. I never seem to have the problems at the theater that everyone else has.

[sixerb]

i prefer home also, but with johnny walker's free tickets and sunny delight's free tickets, i've been out to see a ton lately

[sabre]

Talking, cell phones, sticky floors, crowds, lines, etc.

Home

It has to be a really interesting movie to get me to a theater these days.

[sabre]

Talking, cell phones, sticky floors, crowds, lines, bad framing of the movie, bad print of the movie, bad sound system, etc.

Home

It has to be a really interesting movie to get me to a theater these days.

[Brian Shannon]

I have not been to a theater in more than three years and I will likely never go again. I watch movies in my theater at home.

[marty888]

In general, I prefer watching movies at home, but some cry out to be seen in a theater. If you don't see films like the current <b>Curse of the Golden Flower</b> on a big screen, you're getting a dimished experience.

[corbin dallas]

In general, I prefer watching movies at home, but some cry out to be seen in a theater. If you don't see films like the current <b>Curse of the Golden Flower</b> on a big screen, you're getting a dimished experience.

Not if you have a 100"+ screen at home....

It's just like sitting close at the theater just without all the ignorant people.

[fryinpan1]

Home experience:
order DVD online, have DVD shipped to door, at my convenience watch DVD with no distractions and ability to stop, pause, rewind, etc.

DVD value - convenience, better picture quality, bonus features, cheaper,

Theater experience:
get ready, drive 30 minutes, wait in line to buy ticket, find seat in crowded theater, watch commercials, watch trailers, watch movie without being able to get up or I will miss part of the movie, drive 30 minutes home

overall - not worth dealing with crowds, lines, and inconvenience at a theater

[tbwmp88]

Definitely at home. No idiots, can take a piss without missing anything, can rewind to watch something that you couldn't see or hear, more comfortable, and better quality.

[Ky-Fi]

Some films have to be seen once on the big screen in the theater, but for the most part, at home I can kick back in the reclining couch, cat on my lap, microbrew or glass of wine in hand, and most importantly-----NOBODY KICKING MY G%$DAMNED SEAT!

[Commander Dan]

HOME (http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread.php?p=7490075#post7490075)

[gotrice487]

Easily in the comfort of my own home

[SINGLE104]

I enjoy comfort, and solitude of my home. I don't have to tolerate the loud talking, babies crying, cell phones ringing, annoying commericials before the feature presentation, and disturbance while people being seated in front, or behind you. It's just too many distractions in the theater... I'll wait for the DVD.

[The Bus]

Both. I never seem to have the problems at the theater that everyone else has.

:up:

If home had movies come out at the same time, then I would probably pick home.

The movie theatre is less than 5 minutes away, I try and go when there's no idiots (i.e. not Friday or Saturday night) and everyone is for the most part very respectful.

I've had plenty of great movie theatre experiences. I've never had a bad home theatre experience but the thrill of seeing it on the big screen is not there.

[wendersfan]

Movie theater, no question.

[MrE]

While I prefer the amenities of home, it's still a pale shadow to the immersive experience of the theater.

[sundog]

Without a doubt, movie theater.

[Kal-El]

Movie Theater. Nothing like the collective energy of people as pumped as you to see a movie.

[devilshalo]

Movie Theater. Despite all the negatives, I'd still rather watch it in the theater.

Definitely at home. No idiots, can take a piss without missing anything, can rewind to watch something that you couldn't see or hear, more comfortable, and better quality.
I find that I can't really enjoy a movie if I cannot sit all the way thru it. If I have to pause the dvd for a piss break or whatever, I would say 80% of the time I end up not finishing it. In all my theater visits in the last 15 years, I think I walked out of 2 movies and excused myself (to take a piss, get a manager, blah blah blah) 4 times.

[Coral]

Home sweet Home.

Basically for all the reasons mentioned above.

I can understand why some people make the exceptions for "event movies", because these movies are made to give off that grandiose feel by taking advantage of the huge screen and monster sound system.

These films aren't really my preference, so for the smaller films (usually indepedent and foreign) I find that watching at home better adds to the effect of being intimate with the characters and the story.

[gimmepilotwings]

This should be a poll.

Movie Theatre for the couple of movies per year that I cannot wait for DVD to watch.

[MartinBlank]

i prefer home also, but with johnny walker's free tickets and sunny delight's free tickets, i've been out to see a ton lately
You buy scotch and get to go to the movies for free?!?!?!?!

I'm really particular about going to the theater...either has to be one of my favorite directors OR something that needs to be seen 20ft tall to fully appreciate. And horror, I see a lot of horror on the bigscreen.

[maingon]

I love going to the theater and nothing beats it, Seeing a big epic movie in the theater is a million times better then at home and seeing a comedy in a crowed theater like Borat or something is so much more fun then just renting a dvd and watching it alone. Plus fun catching the trailers on the big screen too. Plus good popcorn its a experience that cant be beat, This is coming from someone that has a full size popcorn machine and a Panasonic AX100 with a 92 inch screen, 7.1 surround sound and HD-DVd and I still prefer the Theater. Its fun going out instead of sitting at home.

[SINGLE104]

I love going to the theater and nothing beats it, Seeing a big epic movie in the theater is a million times better then at home. Plus good popcorn its a experience that cant be beat, This is coming from someone that has a full size popcorn machine and a Panasonic AX100 with a 92 inch screen, 7.1 surround sound and HD-DVd and I still prefer the Theater. Its fun going out instead of sitting at home.
Then why did you invest into a state of the art home theater, a popcorn machine, if you still prefer going out, and willing to pay $3.00 or more for a bucket of popcorn, when you practically can have the same immersive theater experience at home? Hate to burst your bubble, but you've just wasted your money. If I owned a 92" screen, I wouldn't go near a theater.

[The Cow]

Then why did you invest into a state of the art home theater, a popcorn machine, if you still prefer going out, and willing to pay $3.00 or more for a bucket of popcorn, when you practically can have the same immersive theater experience at home? Hate to burst your bubble, but you've just wasted your money. If I owned a 92" screen, I wouldn't go near a theater.
Nope, not a waste if he can afford the best of both worlds.

[visitor Q]

Tough choice ...

When I went to see United 93, I had to deal with two insolant f'ers sitting next to me commenting on how one of the terrorists suffered from a "unibrow" problem and so on. It really detracted from my experience of the film .. not to mention other distracting comments coming from an adult background .. those that couldn't seem to settle into the film for what its serious intentions might have been. By the way, they didn't stop .. or take the film seriously .. until I couldn't take it anymore and had to move.

Lord of the rings: The Return of the King .. I had to take in twice at the theater due to some uncontrollable kids .. more so parents .. the first time around. Excellent film, bad experiece .. until the second round. But why should it take that many times?

I saw Sympathy for Lady Vengeance big screen at the Brattle this past summer and was absolutely blown away by the film (even though I had seen in previously on DVD) because the effect that it had big screen blew away my "home theater" presentation. This was partly due to the fact that the audience .. there for the film, period. ... not just on a weekend getaway.

Although I have the surround sound arena taken care of, I don't have the 100" projection display. If I did, I'd stricly wait for any DVD releases before going to theater. Otherwise, I have to nail the theater for more important films until I can take care of the visual side of things.

[DeepBlue]

Home.

[Fincher Fan]

Both.

[Cygnet74]

Not if you have a 100"+ screen at home....

It's just like sitting close at the theater just without all the ignorant people.
i have a 110" screen at home and still prefer the communal experience of the theater. and i have a method for avoiding crying babies, rowdy teenagers and other rude, obnoxious behavior in that i have found that "you get what you pay for". by going exclusively to theaters like The ArcLight in Hollywood and paying a $14 ticket, the price seems to "filter out" the undesirables. honestly, i've only had a bad experience when straying from this formula.

[maingon]

Then why did you invest into a state of the art home theater, a popcorn machine, if you still prefer going out, and willing to pay $3.00 or more for a bucket of popcorn, when you practically can have the same immersive theater experience at home? Hate to burst your bubble, but you've just wasted your money. If I owned a 92" screen, I wouldn't go near a theater.

I like watching movies at home but Perfer going to the theater too.

[maingon]

Then why did you invest into a state of the art home theater, a popcorn machine, if you still prefer going out, and willing to pay $3.00 or more for a bucket of popcorn, when you practically can have the same immersive theater experience at home? Hate to burst your bubble, but you've just wasted your money. If I owned a 92" screen, I wouldn't go near a theater.



i have a 110" screen at home and still prefer the communal experience of the theater. and i have a method for avoiding crying babies, rowdy teenagers and other rude, obnoxious behavior in that i have found that "you get what you pay for". by going exclusively to theaters like The ArcLight in Hollywood and paying a $14 ticket, the price seems to "filter out" the undesirables. honestly, i've only had a bad experience when straying from this formula.



I agree Cygnet, I have a 92' screen but I still enjoy going to the movies, its more fun then sitting at home all the time. Going to the theater is the best

[Tarantino]

I've done this before, and I'll say it again - I rarely go to the theater because of noisy people, people bringing crying babies into rated R flicks at 10pm, inflated food prices, etc.

The home is way, way better.

= J

[mndtrp]

Home, for all of the reasons given above.

Polls with the ability to vote suck.

[Ginwen]

Theater by far.

I rarely have the problems other people talk about.

I have good sound, theater is better. I have a decent TV, theater is better.

Theater is just more involving, and it's a night out rather than just sitting around watching TV.

[DVD Josh]

I definitely prefer to watch movies at home. That said, there's something about the theater experience that is extremely unique. It's a massive screen (MUCH bigger than anything you could put in your own house). The resolution is MUCH better. The sound is MUCH better.

Not only that, but there's a social aspect of the theater as well. If you don't see a movie first run and wait for the DVD you miss alot of the discussion that most of us come to places like this for, which can be as rewarding as the movie itself.

[dtcarson]

Home, though a good movie, at a good theater, with a good crowd, is worth it. Unfortunately, those three things rarely coincide in my experience, especially considering the costs. I think we've seen two movies in the theater in the past year--Cars [good experience] and Happy Feet [should have skipped it].
I couldn't make myself pay 14 bucks a ticket....two people, that's 28 bucks, and I always get popcorn [no,you don't have to,but that's part of the experience to me], so that would be a 35 dollar night out. I'll just wait two or three months for the dvd, and buy it for <20 and enjoy it on my sofa.

[hardercore]

It depends on the movie. And it depends on how I think the audience will behave during the movie. POTC: Dead Man's Chest, Snakes On A Plane, United 93, Brokeback Mountain and Capote are five movies I saw both in the theatre and at home. The first 3 I preferred in the theater, the last 2 were far more enjoyable at home

[Digigeek06]

At home,theatre to me is not what it use to be you get to watch 10 min of stupid advertisements anymore even before the trailers(which i do enjoy much) stupid people talking throughout the the move,dumb teenagers with there feet on the back of your chair,the person in front or beside you on there damn cell phone,babies crying and to top it all off the outrageous price for movie tickets.It has to be A MUST SEE movie anymore for me to go otehrwise,i can patiently wait for the DVD in my relaxed theatre at home whcih by the way i get lots of compliments from my friends and family that say why go to the movies with a set up like this,yes the advancements of home theatre and lower price of equipment a long with the quick turnaround anymore that movies released usually come out between 3-5 months after they debute in the theatre is an easy choice.Think i'll go fire up the projector now,crank up the volume, sit back in the sofa with a grin and enjoy the show!

[maingon]

Theater by far.

I rarely have the problems other people talk about.

I have good sound, theater is better. I have a decent TV, theater is better.

Theater is just more involving, and it's a night out rather than just sitting around watching TV.


I agree, and the person who talked about ticket prices being so high, I dont know where you live but around here they are only 6 bucks and after 5 or 6 its 8.00 or 7.50 I dont think its that high, The popcorn is way too much though but still worth it cause its so good.

[Patman]

I hate having films spoiled for me, so I do take in my share of movies at the theaters, even though I also pick up DVDs in case I want to revisit a film I enjoyed previously, or just didn't get a chance to see it at the theaters during its theatrical release.

I don't have too many problems with movie-going viewing public, perhaps 90%-95% are good viewing experiences at the theater, and it's actually getting better, plus you just have to pick the optimal "quiet" times (early morning or afternoon showings) to avoid a lot of the carefree teenagers, or the babysitter-challenged parents who bring their crying babies to the movies to the detriment of the rest of the patrons' viewing experience.

[Trelach24]

Theater for me and it's not even close. I love seeing a movie when it first comes out. If I could, I'd probably average 1 movie a week in the theater. Unfortunately, as this thread clearly proves, not too many other people share that enthusiasm.

I probably see 10-12 movies a year in the theater and I can honestly say I've never had a bad experience at any of them.

Hell, I'd pay money to go sit through 45 minutes of previews if they'd let me.

[maingon]

I probably go to 3-5 movies a month and I think the last time I had a bad expereince was when I went to see Dawn of the Dead a few years ago. Other then that nothing that really bugged me